Update:
One of the inconveniences that I have had is
the inability to get enough sleep. I
will fall asleep for a while but an hour later I pop back awake and have
trouble going back to sleep. I really
struggled with this in the hospital due to side effects of the medication, but
the issue still happens at home. I
suspect that one contributing factor is the leg brace that is on my amputated
leg. It is there to protect the site and
to keep my leg straight. Apparently left
alone the knee joint would naturally bend and then “freeze” in a bent
position. The problem with this is I am
pretty well required to sleep on my back.
My natural sleeping position is slightly curled up on my left side. Ain’t going to happen!!! Fortunately I have a little experience sleeping
on my back because of Sunday afternoons “watching” football in my
recliner. But I keep waking up.
In the hospital I discovered that if I put on my headphones and played
my Christian worship playlist on low volume I could go to sleep. I’ve done that a few times at home when I
couldn’t sleep. It gives my mind
something to do while laying there in the dark, but I usually drift off to
sleep about the fourth song if the volume is low. Last night I tried an experiment. I went to bed at the normal time with the
music playing and I left it on all night long.
I woke up a few times, but I quickly went back to sleep. I ended up getting six hours of sleep that
way!!! Yeah!! That means I might only take one or two
catnaps during the day! I also thought
about how that wouldn’t work if I was sleeping on my side because no matter
what set I tried, the headphones/ear buds dig into the side of my head and hurt
after a while. Sleeping on my back puts
no pressure on my ears.
I find it very interesting that I can sleep with music. As a young teen, I wanted to do anything my
older brother did. One of the things he
started doing was to go to sleep with the radio playing music. I tried for a long time but I would get
caught up in the music and never go to sleep. I lost so much sleep during the summer that I
tried to learn how to sleep with the radio on; it amazes me that I can do it
now.
Thought for the Day:
Support teams are so important to people with
illness or injury. In my case, while I
am regaining some independence, I am incapable of unhooking the portable
dishwasher; doing my own laundry; hanging up my coat; going anywhere without
someone picking me up for a ride; buying my own groceries, etc. I can go without constant supervision and
support; but there are too many things that I require assistance to
accomplish. I need support. The level of injury or illness makes a big
difference on how much support is needed.
I want to give a shout out to all the spouses who work tirelessly
assisting their loved one day in and day out.
I can see in my wife’s face how tiring it can be. Then there is extended family if they live
nearby. Sometimes jobs keep family from
doing as much as they would want. Then where do you turn? I’ve got a wonderful church family that
pitches in to help us. The biggest
help that they are doing this year is shoveling the snow off of the handicap
ramp and the driveway for us (they are also shoveling two of the neighbor’s
driveways that I normally take care of too).
I have an additional layer of support as well. The police and fire
department that I am Chaplain for has come to my rescue doing special projects
for me around the house. I am deeply
blessed to have so many caring people willing to help us out when we have a
need.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are
better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If they fall down,
they can help each other up. But pity those who fall and have no one to help
them up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one
keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three
strands is not quickly broken.
My support system
is multilayered. I don’t have to put too
much stress on any one aspect of it. I
can spread my requests around so that no one person gets too overworked. But many people don’t have the relationships
that I do. Maybe all they have is their
spouse. That is a heavy burden for them
to carry and it often wears them down quickly.
I would challenge you to open your eyes and actively find out from those
you know with illness or injury what kind of support system they have and how
much help they are getting. Then do what
you can to help them yourself or help them find the help they need. I know that many in my congregation want to
do something to show their support of me at this time. There are too many of them for everyone to be
actively helping me. So I asked them to
look around and help someone else that they knew in my honor. And I would challenge you to do the
same. Someone nearby you might need
someone to shop for them, give them a ride to the doctor, give their spouse a
night off for some R&R, or help with a project around the house. This Christmas season, why don’t you become
an angel to someone by giving of your time, your talents, or your resources to
help meet their needs?
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